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The Eletauri
Summary The Eletauri are half-men half-elephant warriors, a confederacy of several independent tribes and fiefdoms, who reside in the southern jungles of Leviatha. They are fearsome giants, capable of destroying entire companies of knights. However, the Eletauri are few in number, for they have few children and need massive amounts of food. History The Eletauri appear in ancient scrolls from the Interwar Period, before the War of the Children. While there is little written record, they appear to have lived alongside fey kind in the ancient forests of southern Leviatha As the War of the Children erupted, the Eletauri initially sided with their elven neighbors. Together they put up a stout defense of the forests. The elves' magic and Eletauri force drove the tribes of Men back to the sea. However, as the elves splintered into warring sects of loyalists and schismatics, the Eletauri chose a new path. They drove off all peoples, elves included, from their great jungle--now known as the Jungla Al Eletauri. The Eletauri have lived by themselves for over a thousand years. But, as the empires of men have risen again, the Eletauris' power has waned. The Midian Empire has pressed into their lands, pushing the Eletauri towards war. Appearance Standing up to 13 feet tall, and weighing 12,000 pounds, Elatauri are one of the largest thinking races of Cetemar. They have the body of an elephant's, torso and limbs of a man, and a face that mixes the two. Men have robust tusks and ears; women less so. Eye color varies from brown and red, to blue and gray. The Eletauri proudly call themselves Fellbreed, although they are not like the orkik and gobli peoples. Like Kinnari and other half-men, the Eletauri seem to be a divine accident. They are neither the direct creation of the gods nor a product of elven sorcery. Due to their massive bulk, Eletauri are constantly eating. Society and Customs Two distinct groups of Eletauri call the Jungle their home: Crowned Eletauri and Clann Eletauri. They fight as brothers, inter-marry and occasionally switch allegiances. Crowned Eletauri Crowned or Crown Eletauri reside in three northern kingdoms bordering the Midian Empire. They consider themselves more advanced, more civilized, than their brethren. They've struck a peace with Rei Costa, and the Auroch Krieger of the Midian Empire Clann Eletauri Clann Eletauri, or Free Clans live in the south, far away from Midian influence. They live in small, mobile herds, and are primarily nomadic. The Free Clans consider their northern brothers as cowards for signing a peace with the Midian Empire. Relationships and Child-Rearing Clann Eletauri maintain a traditional matriarchy. Female Eletauri stay in herds, while single men roam alone. Eletauri do marry, but it is arranged by the eldest female of a herd. Children become part of the mother's herd. Crown Eletaur now maintain royal lines of inheritance, and restricting marriage to nobles. Children also remain with a noble family, not a traditional herd. Eletauri children are few. Mothers give birth every five years, because the land cannot support large numbers of the Elephant Men. Children are raised exclusively by their mothers (male Eletauri can become violent at random). Religion and Magic The Eletauri traditionally practice a religion centered around the god of the wilds, Guddjur. Some Crown Eletauri have begun to convert to gods of other civilizations. Clerics and mages are few among the Eletauri. They prefer to use their minds and strength, rather than the unseen to accomplish their work. The Hidden Libraries Most of the outside world knows the Eletauri as violent savages. That is far from the truth. Eletauri are long-lived, and highly intelligent. The Eletauri have a female caste of bards who carry the knowledge and history of the people. Several have been lost in the wars with the Midians, to the deep grief of the Eletauri. Food Eletauri must consume 200-300 pounds of food per day. Much of their time is spent hunting and gathering, and herding feral pigs. In order to extend food supplies, Clann Eletauri preserve bread fruit, bananas, taro and other vegetation in stone pits, 15 feet deep. The fermented muck can last for decades (it is used a strategic reserve for time of war). The Crown Eletauri have come to depend on grain imports from the Greater Midian Empire in order to feed their people. Both Crown and Clann Eletauri have dug strategically placed lakes in the jungles, to supply themselves with water over long marches. In recent years, Clann Eletauri have allowed tenant farmers on their land. In exchange, the farmers give them half of the food--food that Eletauri are stockpiling for war. Warfare The Eletauri fight individually or in small bands. Most fight bare-handed or with cesti. Others fight with huge tree trunks studded with rocks, or stone adzes. A rare few have metal tipped spears or axes. Musth Fighters Eletauri are formidable fighters in the first place. But, even more terrifying, male Eletauri randomly enter a berserker phase called "musth." An oily black fluid begins to seep out of his temples and ears. The warrior becomes psychotically enraged, ten times stronger, attacking anyone around him. When the Eletaur male feels musth coming, he retreats to the deep forest. The musth may last over a month, before the warrior is safe to approach. Only 1 in 100 Eletauri, called Gandryll, can control when they enter musth. These rare warriors have used their power to drive off the Aurochkrieger and Legion incursions from the east. Location The Eletauri live with in the Jungla Al Eletauri. They are bordered to the north by the Rei Costa. They are bordered to the south by the Tigr Riethe. To the east is the Aurochkrieger and Fihr Krogall. And to their west is the Cete Gap, of the Ocea Tregua. Estimated Numbers 20,000-60,000 souls: 10,000 are counted, settled Crown Eletauri; the remainder are Free Clans In addition there are 1,000 to 5,000 tenant farmers in the southern jungles Known Towns Free Clans Ibhah--capitol? Krogmot Mwgllyn: Smoke Lake Moddecamp: Mud Camp Crown Towns Fyrstcron: First Crown Elpcaestr: Elephant Town Toschaelm: Tusk Hill Allies The Tygr Reithe is at peace with the Eletauri. They share a mutual enemy in the Greater Midian Empire. The Fihr Crogall also have a peace with the Tusk-men, as they call them. The Dukhana Rath have been at peace with the Eletauri for centuries. Foes The Aurochkrieger have been at war with the Eletauri for over 100 years. The Khawan Rath are sworn enemies of the Eletauri. They have worked as Midian mercenaries to spy in the Eletauri jungles. The Eletauri have been at war with the Greater Midian Empire. Three northern kingdoms of Eletauri signed a peace to keep their borders. The remaining Clan Eletauri continue the fight. Characters Comments Eletauri